Page 27 of Bourbon & Bonfires

When I get to my truck, I exhale like I’ve been holding my breath under water for ten minutes. I’ve never met a woman who could turn me inside out, make me say the things that are on my mind and not things I think they want to hear. No woman has intrigued me like Addison does. And no woman has challenged me like I expect she will.

“Isaw Landon’s truck at your house last night.”

“Dakota,” Minnie hisses. We’re sitting in what has become our regular booth at the diner after Saturday morning yoga. Ashton and Piper joined us again and suddenly all four of my tablemates are staring at me, obviously expecting a response.

“He was.” I take a few sips of my coffee before setting the cup down and picking up my fork to finish my omelet.

“And?” Ashton asks as Dakota echoes.

“And nothing. He brought Mason home and came inside for a bit and maybe asked me out,” I say, mumbling the last part of my sentence.

“Excuse me what was that? I think you said he asked you to bang.”

I cough on my coffee at Ashton’s comment and my eyes blink as I use my napkin to wipe my face. She puts it all out there, doesn’t she?

“Uh, I didnotsay that. I said he asked me out. At least, I think he did. Hell, I don’t know. I need to tell him no to the dinners.”

“Dinners? Explain,” Piper says.

Taking a deep breath, I explain what happened last night with Landon. I start with my arrival at his house and end with Landon kissing my cheek. I leave out the details of how my pulse quickened anytime he looked at me, how the way his tongue peeked out between his kissable lips as he cooked, and I absolutely do not tell them how much I thought of him while I took a bubble bath. But, none of the omissions stop me from looking like a love-sick teenager when I place my fingers to the spot on my cheek where Landon kissed me. Twice.

I wish I can say I was stunned stupid when he asked me out, not just out, but to three consecutive dinners. Three weekends out together. It’s been a million years since I’ve dated, but I know that’s more than two friends hanging out. Even before Nela moved to London, we rarely made plans weeks in advance, and she’s my best friend.

I mean it when I say I need to call Landon and tell him no dinners. It doesn’t matter that Landon ignited something in me that’s been dormant for years. His touches are like tiny matches of fire and I’m weak to them. Regardless of how attracted I am to him, and not only for his drop-dead good looks but also because he’s funny and amazing with my kid, I cannot go out on a date with him.

“Ah, Addy! You’re smitten!” My gaze shoots to Minnie, who has a huge smile on her face. “I get it, Landon Montgomery is a catch. He’s kind and smart. Don’t get me started on his ass. I swear to God ... what? Come on, you all know I’m right.” The girls all begrudgingly agree, and we laugh.

“I am not ‘smitten’,” I say with air quotes. “Besides, at this stage of my life, dating is about more than dinner and a few laughs. If, and I mean that’s a big ole if, I date someone, I want it to go somewhere. I’m too old for games, and I have no interest in dating for the sake of dating. It’s not who I am.”

“I get it,” Dakota says, and I offer her a small smile in understanding. Dakota is nowhere near ready to date, but we’ve talked a bit over a cup of tea while sitting on her porch, and I know she’s lonely and working her way back to moving forward with her life after losing her husband.

“Look, Addy, I’m not saying you have to have a fling, or even a second date; I’m only saying Landon is a catch. He’s Owen’s best friend, and I don’t think you could do better than him. But that ass ...”

We all laugh, and the topic is dropped. I hear what the girls are saying, but at the end of the day, my life isn’t my own. I have a son, and he is my priority, always. As much as I’d love to go on a date with someone like Landon, it’s silly to think that way. He is a young guy and shouldn’t be wasting his time with me.

The weekend flies by and while Mason seems to put the events of Friday behind him, when I drop him off at school I see a glimmer of the kid he was before we moved to Lexington. I see the frustration and anger brewing under the surface, and my mom hackles are instantly engaged. This time, though, instead of just saying goodbye, I stop him before he exits the car and tell him I can see a storm brewing inside him. I also tell him to go balls to the walls in gym class and burn off the aggression. He laughs at my use of the wordballsand agrees.

Walking into the office I’m greeted with a very quiet waiting area, and I know one thing about general practice on a Monday morning—quiet is a bad thing. I don’t jinx the peacefulness by saying anything aloud, and instead I walk to the breakroom and store my purse and silence my phone. I contemplate sending Dan a text to call him out on his idiotic move with that photo but decide engaging him is the last thing I want to do today.

The morning is seamless, the typical calm before the storm. When the storm will hit is anyone’s guess.

We make it until ten minutes after lunch and then all hell breaks loose and the formerly quiet waiting room begins filling with patients. See, I knew it was too good to be true. I grab a piece of caffeine gum from my purse and toss it in my mouth before heading out to call the first patient of a very long afternoon.

As much as I enjoyed the slow and steady morning, the fast-paced afternoon makes time fly by. I weigh and measure patients from six months old to ninety today and each one is kind and thankful. By the time the last patient arrives, I’ve seen twelve patients and spoken to six on the telephone since lunch.

When I leave the last patient in the exam room to wait for Dr. Burning, I throw myself into a chair and sigh. Exhaustion is an understatement, but regardless of how tired I am or how much my feet hurt, I also feel a completeness. I love working in this office and caring for the people of Lexington.

The woman I just left with the doctor is exactly why we moved here. As soon as I called her name, Mrs. Montgomery wrapped me in a hug and began regaling me with tales of her children and grandchildren: a daughter, two sons, an upcoming wedding for someone, and what sounded like half dozen grandchildren. By the time I was taking her blood pressure, she was inviting me to Sunday dinner. I think there was mention of a son who is single, but I can’t be sure.

I declined her dinner invitation. She insisted and refused to accept no as my final answer. I promised maybe another weekend. That concession seemed to pacify her, for now.

Looking at the clock, I notice how late it is and quickly rise and rush to my phone to check on Mason. I see three missed texts from him, the last only ten minutes ago. Grabbing my phone, I sit at the table and click the message icon.

Mason: Don’t forget I’m working today after school.

Mason: Uncle T said he’d pick me up and I think we’re going to get some burritos at Rosa’s

Mason: We’re at Rosa’s and Uncle T says you need to speak now if you want food.

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